The invention relates to a container door opening and closing system for opening and closing the doors of containers and method, said system including a lifting arm and a gripping head and being provided with an opening/closing actuator having an interference member which moves in a vertical plane on a circular trajectory. The gripping head can be coupled to a handle attached to a container to allow lifting same. An opening/closing head that is integrated in the container handle and mechanically connected to a mechanism which controls the opening and closing of the lower doors on the container has a projection so that, when the handle is attached to the gripping head, the interference member collides on its circular trajectory with the projection on the opening/closing head, driving it and actuating the opening/closing mechanism.